How Chic Is Your Slouch?

Today, fashion has turned its stiletto heels against the power strut for a nonchalant hunch and swagger.

- Gerald Tan

When I tried on one of the boxy jackets from Balenciaga’s spring/summer 2017 collection during a re-see appointment last October, something happened. Perhaps it was an unintended effect, but having to adjust my posture— shoulders slightly hunched, neck extended so that the jacket hung nicely on my frame—changed how I looked and felt in a split second. Yes, I looked great in the jacket. But I also became more aware of the way I moved and how I was projecting myself to the people around me. As clichéd as this might sound, those ’80s power shoulders are back, but this time it’s not for the boardroom; it’s ready for the streets.

The jacket is part of a sophomore collection by Demna Gvasalia—most notable for his exaggerated silhouettes and the liberal use of neon-coloured spandex on ’80s draped blouses and tights that segue into boots. Gvasalia, fashion’s current l’enfant terrible, blazed a trail through the fashion scene the past two seasons, first with his work at Vetements, then with his current stint as Balenciaga’s Creative Director.